Two primary concerns prompted this paper, the mandatory sentence provision and the definition that is not restricted to escape from secure facilities. First, consecutive sentences for escape convictions are mandated in statute. For nearly all other criminal sentences, consecutive sentences are at the discretion of the judge. It is the mandatory nature of the sentencing provision that concerns members of the Task Force. This broad brush approach to sentencing policy is not supported by the criminology literature which consistently reports the need for individualized interventions to reduce the likelihood of new criminal behavior and victimization.1 Further, this policy increases the prison population when the escape sentence is longer than the sentence for the original crime.
